


Keeping a Close Eye

by magicasen



Category: Marvel (Comics), Marvel 616
Genre: Avengers Vol. 8 (2018), M/M, Misunderstandings, POV Outsider
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-09-26 02:09:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17133050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magicasen/pseuds/magicasen
Summary: Steve and Tony are avoiding each other. Carol takes it upon herself to find out why.





	Keeping a Close Eye

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sheron](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sheron/gifts).



> I hope you enjoy, sheron!

Carol's first tip-off came the Wednesday after the new charter had been signed and the new team had been branded. Enter the Mighty Avengers, with the new digs to match. T'Challa's people had done a thorough job tidying up their new HQ—Carol could mostly forget that they were currently operating out of a corpse. The corpse of a Celestial whose left ventricle was larger than your average New York walk-up apartment, but a corpse nonetheless.

Anyway, because one of the first thing you learned as a superhero to keep sane was to stick to routine when the rest of the world was doing an impression of a house on fire, Carol woke up, worked out in the state-of-the-art gym, and headed for the kitchen.

To her surprise, Steve was already sitting at the table. Somehow, Carol hadn't already caught him in the gym during _his_ morning workout. Maybe he'd slept in and missed it, which explained the uncharacteristic restlessness. He was much more interested in picking at his fingertips than the two untouched coffee mugs in front of him.

“Morning,” Carol called out. Steve nearly jumped out of his chair and had a close call for some scalding burns. “Whoa, cool it down there, hotshot.” She patted him on the shoulder as she took the seat beside him, momentarily distracted by the tantalizing smell of freshly brewed coffee. “That smells great. You mind?”

“Oh, that's actually for—oh, it's fine,” Steve's voice trailed off as Carol took a long slurp. “Thanks for looking out for me. You know, I'll just make more.” True to his word, he went over to the machine and started a new batch. Which was ridiculous, he had his own mug of coffee right there, and Carol wondered whether that was his invitation for her to take Steve's too. Its smell was proving quite tempting.

A long yawn greeted the two of them. “Good morning,” Tony called out as he shuffled in. From the corner of Carol's eye, she saw Steve freeze. She hummed a greeting to Tony as she turned to observe the other Captain more closely. Steve was carefully staring down at the countertop, before he let go of his freshly acquired new mug like it burned.

“Hey,” Steve said stiffly, “Tony.” What followed could have topped junior prom in awkwardness. Steve and Tony's bodies were oriented towards each other, yet they'd mutually decided to not look at each other. Steve performed a ridiculous looking shimmy past where Tony in the doorway as he beat a hasty retreat, leaving full coffee mugs on the table and on the counter.

What might have been even stranger was Tony's reaction, standing statue-still as Steve moved past him. He made eye contact with Carol, and apparently her incredulity didn't register with him as he headed for coffee.

“Hi?” Carol said, feeling like she'd been left out of a conversation.

“Oh, my favorite.” He lifted the mug to his face, and sighed in contentment. It _was_ really good coffee, and Steve had just abandoned two perfectly brewed mugs because Tony had shown his face. 

Carol drummed her fingers on the table, and Tony didn't see fit to comment on what had just happened. Carol didn't find herself in the mood for conversation either, mind already at work.

* * *

See, part of being close friends with Captain America and Iron Man and most of being alive during the chaos that erupted whenever they were on the outs (a surprisingly rare combination) was the ability to recognize warning signs. And after that morning, Carol knew to keep a close eye.

During their team meeting that afternoon, they sat at the opposite ends of the table. Much less opportunity for either of them to sling an arm around the other, or pat some shoulders, or have  _any_ physical contact. In fact, Carol didn't think she even heard one of them use the other's name. Certainly enough for alarm bells to be ringing. 

Maybe she was paranoid, but she chalked it up to her gut instinct. Carol couldn't explain to you why the universe had fallen into place around Captain America and Iron Man. But when Steve and/or Tony were hung up like this, when they weren't talking, when one or more of them was hiding something from each other, the blow-up usually took down half the superhero community around them, at best.

And it wasn't just Carol's decidedly untrained sense of self-preservation speaking here. After everything those two had been through, it was plain as day what their friendship meant to each other. Hell, they'd come and started a new team together. Again, because there was something about those founding Avengers who could never let go of Avenging. Carol had been witness to how much they tore themselves apart whenever that something was threatened.

After Steve died, she'd been there with Tony, as much as he let anyone be there. She remembered, even if Tony himself couldn't remember, and that was a small blessing. Jesus, Tony, and her heart still ached remembering, the self-blame, the guilt, the loss of a sense of greater purpose. But, Tony's reaction hadn't surprised her. She knew, after all, what kind of thoughts could lead to a place like that. Before, it had led the two of them to the bottom of a bottle, that self-obsession, the accusations and faults racing through her head.

What _had_ surprised her was when Steve had lost Tony, back during the incursions. She'd never seen him like that, teetering on the border between rage and grief. She loved Steve dearly, but he wasn't the easiest person to read at the best of times, and it had all been much easier to watch your words, and far easier to avoid him altogether.

Anyway, Carol rather liked their new team setup, and was reluctant to see it get shaken up because of something brewing between those two. There were a lot of ways the team had erred in the past, and none of them was free from criticism. But, it had only been a matter of time before they'd assembled again. It meant something, how ultimately, they were stronger together than apart, and that's what the world needed from them. She could practically see Steve's face in her mind giving the speech. More than once she wished she had that sort of charisma, a gravitas that made you feel intimidated to stand by his side, but that you would do your damnedest to try. She'd accepted that after all the people she'd met, human and alien alike, that was decidedly something unique to Steve Rogers.

Then she just had to do something that Carol Danvers excelled at. Whatever had begun the rift between them, all it meant that someone had to head it off before it got any worse. As long as there was a mission plan, Carol could go in anywhere ready to see it through.

* * *

She found Tony rearranging his lab the next evening. He was having a hell of a time doing it, too, humming and nearly twirling through the place with his energy. She allowed herself a moment of laughing into her fist before she cleared her throat.

Tony stopped in the middle of a spin and, after a moment, raised a hesitant hand.

“Hey Tony,” Carol offered, “can I have a word with you?”

“Anything for my favorite Captain.” Which was complete bullshit, everyone who'd ever met him knew who Tony's favorite Captain was.

“I wanted to know if the team has been going right for you.”

Tony leaned against the nearest table, sliding his hands into his pockets “Is our new chairman T'Challa delegating the emotional support to you? Well, I suppose he's a king and used to having people for that. Well, no need. Everything's fine.”

Carol knew Tony well enough that there was no way anything would come out of this without a push, and even then, her chances were slim. But she was his friend, so she wasn't going to let it go.

“Really? Even between you and Steve?”

Tony froze, but she didn't miss the flicker of shock over his face. “Everything between us is perfectly normal,” he said, slowly, like he was tasting the feel of the lie coming out of his mouth.

“Really. I've known the two of you for a long time. I know what happens when you two aren't...normal,” Carol said.

“And are we not normal right now?” Tony asked, his brows furrowing. “I thought we were perfectly normal.”

Steve and Tony had never operated on anyone else's standards of _normal._ Carol raised an eyebrow. “You weren't there to say bye to him when he left this morning for DC.”

“I was in the middle of a conference call. I can't just drop that to say bye to Steve.”

Well, that just confirmed something was up. Tony _always_ dropped everything for Steve. Carol debated whether she was going to get more than that tonight, but the distant look in Tony's eyes compelled her to speak up more.

“You two have been through a lot. _We've_ been through a lot. I just wanted to assure you that, no matter what, that I'll always consider you one of my closest friends.”

She hoped that sounded supportive enough. It was hard enough for her in the first place, but Tony deserved to not feel alone. That was always one of the roots of his problems. Tony himself was...stock still, with an unreadable expression. He let out a deep breath before turning on her and blinding her with the force of his smile.

“Carol!” Carol let out an oomph as Tony squeezed her tight. “Carol, Carol, Carol.”

“Uh, yes!?” she squeezed him back, bewildered.

“You're the best. I love you, you know that, Danvers?”

Okay. There was something very wrong with her friend. It couldn't even be a Skrull because who out there saw Tony Stark and thought, here was a man who was openly affectionate and didn't hide his heart behind a literal suit of armor.

Tony grinned at her, eyes sparkling and a blush forming on his cheeks. Carol sighed, patting his arm.

“Yeah, yeah. You too, Stark. You too.”

* * *

With her first plan of action stalled, Carol had to go test her luck on a much larger, more difficult target.

Steve dove underneath her, and that was the worst thing about sparring indoors. There was only so much maneuverability you had in an enclosed space when you were in the air, and that meant that the blind spot beneath Carol was even more pronounced.

The shield clipped her boot, and she shot a blast after it. No time for checking if it'd hit its mark, now that Steve was defenseless. Steve braced himself, ready to dodge in either direction, but Carol was anything but predictable.

The room rumbled when Carol slammed her feet into the floor. Carol grinned at the flash of surprise that took over Steve's face before he stumbled into a sideways roll. More than enough time for her to clear the distance between them in a few strides. Steve tried to trip her, but there was no chance she was getting to the ground with him. Carol balled a hand into a fist. Energy surged through her, and she took a moment to let it happen before it became too intense. She raised her hand above her head and shot the blast off, the release like a rush of relief. She grinned, before her senses went haywire, and she ducked.

“Oof!” But she'd managed to make it in time, the rush of air above her ruffling her hair but otherwise unscathed.

Steve had rolled to his feet, catching his shield with a swing of his arm and looking far too proud of himself.

_Show-off,_ she laughed, shaking her head. 

“Getting into that victory pose a bit early, don't you think?” Steve said, pulling back his cowl and revealing a headful of sweaty, mussed hair.

“Not much further I can go, with how fragile you supersoldiers are.” Carol shrugged. “We're going to need to talk to Tony, if I'm making the room shake like that. I hate to see what this place will look like after Jen has a round with it.” And when she saw an opening, she took it. “Maybe you can put in a word with him?”

Steve had suddenly found the floor the most fascinating spot in the room. “Him?”

“You know, Tony. Your fellow founding Avenger best buddy.”

“Well, that's a bit mean to Thor. And T'Challa is the chairman now, so maybe we shouldn't bother Tony.”

Carol had to snort at that. “Why not? It's not like you've ever had an issue bringing up complaints to him before.”

“Now you're just exaggerating.” Steve's hand rubbed his neck.

Time to take a different tack. “Are you two all right?”

“What makes you ask that?”

“Well, I care about you two. And if there's anything you need to talk about, I'm all ears.”

“I think, uh.” Steve coughed loudly. “There's nothing to discuss about me and Tony. We're fine as always. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to discuss some SHIELD matters. Duty calls.”

Carol blinked at the door after Steve made an impressive retreat. That power walk had rivaled his runs. He'd even left without even critiquing her form or technique.

There was an uneasy flutter in her stomach when she rested her mouth on her fist. She liked to think that she was one of the few people Steve and Tony could confide in. But they'd made it clear that whatever was going on, they didn't want to talk. And okay, Carol could understand that urge, the desire to be left alone and be free from other people's sympathy or worse, pity, but it stung a bit being on the other end of that.

The most Carol could do for now was watch over them. Although, loath as she was to admit it, if they really wanted to go at it, she wasn't even sure what she could do.

* * *

It would be great if superheroes could always be optimistic, but part of saving the world every other week was preparing for the worst-case scenario. Most of the time? It was justified. When it wasn't, that was the time for self-derisive laughter and maybe some apologies.

Right now, Carol wasn't even capable of that. There was a scramble, and a chair fell over, but there was no missing what she'd just witnessed.

She hadn't ever considered Steve Rogers the type of man to stick his tongue halfway down someone else's throat, which was ridiculous. Man had had several long-term girlfriends, but that was different. Different from seeing two of her closest friends having a full-blown make-out session on the kitchen counter, and it easily would have gone past that if where their hands were placed was any indication.

“Carol!” Steve didn't seem to know where to put his hands, hovering as they were still over Tony's body. Tony's eyes softened as he gently pushed Steve's hands down by his sides. That gentleness— where had _that_ been?

“Whoa, okay.” Carol pointed a finger between the two of them. “Where'd this come from!? I thought you two were fighting!”

“What would make you think that?” Steve said, patting down his clothes and carefully stepping back. He had a poker face pasted on, but he was as red as red could be, and not many things got Captain America panting.

“You—you were avoiding each other! You didn't even acknowledge each other's presence during that team meeting the other day! And neither of you were talking about it!”

Steve coughed. “We were trying to keep it on the down-low, not make it a big deal. Act just like friends, like teammates. I guess...we...weren't convincing?”

Well, their idea of _down-low_ had had Carol preparing herself for a team implosion. Did they not have any concept of how they acted normally? The lack of self-awareness would...make too much sense, actually. 

“Why wouldn't you want to tell us?” Other than the Avengers being a huddle of gossips normally, but the current team wasn't quite up to usual team standards. Carol couldn't exactly see T'Challa or Stephen showing interest in their team's dating lives. 

“Considering how She-Hulk and Thor got treated, it just felt like it could throw a wrench in the team dynamic. Or morale?” Tony shrugged. “Or, you know, we both had secret identities for most of our careers. Well, the cat's out of the bag now. Only took, what, a week?” 

And thank god it hadn't gone on any longer. Carol would have had an aneurysm if it had. 

“I'm okay with that,” Steve said, and stepped in and wrapped a hand around Tony's waist with a wide grin. 

“Sometimes, I _do_ have the stupidest ideas,” Tony said, and the look on his face was equally sappy. 

“Well, congratulations, you two,” Carol offered, still more shocked than pleasantly surprised. Still, this was far preferable to the alternative that she'd been nursing. “I'm really happy for you two.” 

“Thank you,” Steve said, looking her full in the face. 

“We'll make the announcement to the rest of the team at the next meeting, but for now, business to attend to. You know the deal, Danvers.” Tony gave her a wink as he led Steve out with their hands joined together. Off to finish what they'd started, and Carol had interrupted. 

_Steve and Tony are sleeping with each other_ , Carol tried, testing her brain, and it still wasn't getting through, like some ends weren't meeting up and it all resulted in an error message. She thought of the ridiculous, sappy grin that Steve had followed Tony out of the room wearing. 

_They love each other_ , she tried instead, like the most natural thought in the world. About the sleeping together part, well, she hoped she had all the time in the world to get used to the idea. 

 

**Author's Note:**

> For the prompt "Characters being ridiculously in love but trying to be realistic and "act normal"."


End file.
